Nashua Community College, Student Center

Nashua, New Hampshire

Firm

Dennis Mires, PA, THE ARCHITECTS

Client

Nashua Community College

Area

50,650 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$6,940,000

Completion Date

09/2008

The architect assisted the community college with developing a master plan. The concept was to accommodate expansion by aligning the physical growth with the axis of the automotive building to maximize future site development, connect the buildings with appropriate secondary access points, and place parking at the perimeter.

The first phase was the student center. The educational program required a 250-seat full-service cafeteria, student lounge, four multipurpose program rooms, NCAA gymnasium with seats for 300, a walking track and support space. The building was used to close the existing three-sided green space and create an outdoor room, or courtyard.

The project positioned the new cafe in the center of the growing campus with the circulation "street" passing between the dining and the servery, the lounge space and program space. It places the cafe adjacent to the gym and to a lecture hall programmed for Phase II, to maximize the potential uses of each space. The cafe and gym also can be used for special occasions while the rest of the building is secured.

Once the cafe was completed, the area near the main entrance was renovated into a one-stop shop for student services, including admissions, financial aid, registrar and a bookstore.